ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. – The St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM) community will come together on Nov. 1, 2024, at 4:45 p.m. for The Sacred Journey: The Beloved Community, an event to honor the anniversary of the award-winning Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland.
The event will be marked by choral and instrumental music, a spoken word performance, a Procession of Dignity from the Commemorative to the College’s Waterfront, a reading of names of the enslaved and a libation ceremony. Remarks will be given by St. Mary’s College of Maryland President Tuajuanda C. Jordan, PhD and U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-5th), a member of the College’s Board of Trustees. Participants will assemble at the Commemorative, located at 47777 Mattapany Road (note: the Commemorative is on the College campus but has a Lexington Park address for GPS purposes). Performances include choral selections by SMCM’s St. Mary’s Singers vocal ensemble and a student-led reading of “erasure poetry” from the Commemorative.
Participants will walk to the College Waterfront, accompanied by student percussionists and musicians. Along the procession route, signage will pose reflective questions and an interpreter will highlight historical elements relating to the history of slavery on the lands now occupied by the College. Attendees are encouraged to wear their traditional African clothing. The event will take place rain or shine.
Upon arriving at the waterfront, participants will be treated to a choral program by St. Peter Claver Men’s Choir. Students will perform a solemn reading of the names of the enslaved – over 120 individuals, some known only by a single name or even no name at all, who lived near the campus grounds. The event will conclude with a libation ceremony and complimentary, catered reception under a tent with light fare.
The evening continues with a concert performance by the Brubeck Brothers Quartet with Camille Thurman at the Nancy R. & Norton T. Dodge Performing Arts Center on the campus at 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale with more information at www.smcm.edu/dodge.
About the Commemorative: The Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland provides visitors with the space to acknowledge and learn from the lives of those who once toiled here while providing a place for reflection and introspection about the nature of slavery and its connections to modern society. The Commemorative uses the slave quarter as a symbol of resilience, determination, and persistence. It complements this symbolism through words, combining names of the enslaved with “erasure poetry” adapted from historical documents related to slavery in and around St. Mary’s City.